To ensure a seamless transition of agricultural support, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Western Visayas conducted a finalization and turnover meeting with representatives of the newly-established Negros Island Region (NIR).
The meeting centered on the official handover of ongoing SAAD projects in the municipalities of La Castellana and Moises Padilla, ensuring that farmer-beneficiaries continue to receive uninterrupted assistance.
Aligning strategies for NIR transition
The session was led by Ms. Charmae F. Antipatia, SAAD Alternate Assistant Focal Person, and Ms. Sheryl Mae Gaylan, Regional Operational Planning, Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead. Discussions focused on tracking interventions, completing pending deliverables, and clarifying operational responsibilities.
The team reviewed the status of livelihood projects already distributed to farmers and coordinated timelines for remaining inputs to avoid delays during the restructuring process. Monitoring and evaluation responsibilities were formally endorsed to the NIR counterpart team, led by Mr. Eliezar G. Villar, SAAD Focal Person, to ensure continuous technical guidance and support for beneficiaries.
The activity served as a critical roadmap which marked the formal transfer of authority, guidance, and oversight to the region’s group of beneficiaries for project sustainability following the implementation of Republic Act 12000, which consolidated Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor into a single administrative region.
“Ginconduct nton ang ini nga meeting agud ma streamline ang process sang aton turnover kag ma level off kung ano nga mga trainings kag interventions ang aton na-accomplish in terms of Social Preparation, FPL, kag MAED kag ang mga need pa icomply with these components.”
[We conducted this meeting in order to streamline the process of our turn-over and to level off the training and interventions that we have accomplished in terms of Social Preparation, Food Production and Livelihood, and Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development and the things that we need to comply with these components.]
Ms. Antipatia emphasized that while administrative boundaries may change, SAAD’s quality and consistency of service to its farmers must remain constant.
The primary objective of the turnover was to ensure that the establishment of the NIR does not disrupt the delivery of government aid. By formalizing roles and responsibilities early, DA-SAAD Western Visayas ensures that beneficiaries in La Castellana and Moises Padilla remain productive and well-supported under the new administrative framework. ###
